Claims of Protecting Church Employees Accused of Abuse

By David Mance
KAPP
March 9, 2012

http://www.kapptv.com/article/2012/mar/08/claims-protecting-church-employees-accused-abuse/

St. Paul Cathedral

A Yakima man claims the Catholic Diocese of Yakima protected two church employees, who allegedly abused two boys at local churches more than 40 years ago.

Robert Fontana is part of a national advocacy group called S.N.A.P. He says one of the men, a former choir director, was working at Saint Paul's Church when he abused one of the children.

Fontana says names of the choir director and a priest appear on a diocese list of clergy and church employees believed to have abused children.

"We're reaching out to the public, to invite those victims who are abused by these men, to come corth and tell their stories, to get help, get counseling," says Fontana.

A spokesperson for the Yakima Diocese declined to comment, but released this statement:

"The two cases of alleged sexual abuse are both confidential matters, resolved to the satisfaction of the parties involved."